Reverse Citizen’s United

Saturday

May 16, 2015 at 3:15 AM

To the editor: (Dear Senator Ayotte) you recently wrote me these words: “The legitimacy of our democratic republic depends on a free, fair, and transparent electoral system that abides by the U.S. Constitution. Political discourse is among the most protected rights in America. While I appreciate your concerns about the Citizens United decision, I believe that First Amendment rights must be vigorously defended and not abridged.”

Recent Supreme Court decisions, however, are clustering against the “free, fair, and transparent electoral system” you say you support.

Campaign spending limits have been lifted using the reasoning that money is free speech. Corporations, which are artificial entities, have been granted the same rights to free speech as individual citizens in addition to the set of rights they already receive when they incorporate.

The logic goes that money is free speech and corporations have First Amendment rights to free speech. Therefore corporations are entitled to spend as much money as they want on elections. The result has been the creation of Super PACs and skyrocketing campaign finance spending.

The voice of the individual voter without a million dollar megaphone is being drowned out by the Super PACs. How is that free and fair?

Please fight to defend the voice of the individual voter by supporting a constitutional amendment to reverse Citizen’s United.

Nancy Pape

Madbury

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